Islamic Political Movements and the Psychology of Combat

Three Major Islamic Political Movements

Below is a detailed description of three significant Islamic political movements:

1. The Muslim Brotherhood: The Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamic organization that was founded in Ismailia, Egypt, by Hassan al-Banna in March 1928 as an Islamist religious, political, and social movement. It is considered the largest and best-organized political force in Egypt.
2. Hamas: A reaction to years of stagnation and corruption in the Palestinian Authority led to election success for Hamas in 2006 in Gaza. This success was related less to the Islamic nature of the political party than it was to the tarnished reputation of Fatah for its perceived capitulation to Israel. While there is a militant wing to the organization, it does have a political wing which has a joint government with Fatah in the West Bank. A large portion of its success and purpose is to resist Israeli occupation.
3. Hezbollah: Hezbollah is a political party based in Lebanon that is seen as a Shia militant group. It was funded by Iran to combat the perceived Israeli invasion of Lebanon and was intended to act as a resistance group. It is seen by many as a "state within a state," as the influence of Hezbollah has grown throughout the years to provide media and social services. Although many perceive Hezbollah to be a terrorist group, it has transformed from a revolutionary group into a political one.

Joanne Bourke on the Psychology of Killing in War

According to Joanne Bourke, there are several reasons why individuals are ready to kill in times of war:

• Dehumanization: Bourke describes the nature of killing in war through propagandistic attempts to dehumanize the "other" in the conflict.
• Psychological Instincts: She references the psychological nature of killing people and a revenge instinct. If a soldier has a friend who was killed, that person may want to "take no prisoners."
• Obedience to Authority: Bourke also acknowledges the fact that people will kill other people if they are told to do so by their superiors. During the Nuremberg trials, those on trial famously used the defense that they were "just following orders."